Peckham Town Women is on a high. More people want to join the club and it is a lot more visible, according to assistant coach Adriana Torres, in a shout out to the transformative effect of the England women’s football team’s triumph at the 2022 European championships. 

“I think after the Euros we had a lot of new people wanting to join the club,” says Torres, who came to Peckham Town from her native Brazil in July 2021.  

“We are talking about how we are more visible now and it’s definitely definitely getting better not just for us but in general,” she added. 

The football club, which was shut down due to COVID and restarted in March 2021, competes within the Clapham Women’s Saturday Football League. Torres, who stopped playing in Brazil due to injuries, was lucky enough to be welcomed with open arms by the Peckham team. 

She arrived at a stirring moment for women’s football in England, witnessing a massive shift in visibility and recognition. “I think it’s just going to grow more and more,” Torres says of the rising popularity of women’s football in the UK. 

In recent years women’s football in the UK has grown exponentially. The Women’s Super League (WSL) marked a milestone after signing a deal with major broadcasters Sky Sports and the BBC for the 2021/22 season. This was a vital step for women’s sports to be broadly represented and drive in more revenue. Then, the Lionesses won the UEFA Women’s Euro this year in what’s being called the most watched women’s Euro ever. 

Torres believes this has had a positive impact on women in the local community and especially on young girls. Peckham Town Women has long wanted to start a young achievements club for girls to improve their football skills alongside the adult women’s team. This could be a crucial step forward especially when girls often quit sports after primary school. Women in Sport conducted a survey of over 4,000 adolescent girls and boys revealing that 43% of girls felt sporty in primary school but later, quit. Torres says the young achievements club would give girls the opportunity to play football. 

The rising tide for Peckham Town Women goes beyond the growing numbers wanting to join. The skill levels of the team have improved significantly. Torres explains how last season the team struggled and, while the spirit was there, the results were less than ideal. After games she says, “We get together and talk about it and always think positive that we will get better”. The team persevered and are having a much better season in terms of results. 

Sadly, the final game of the season was postponed due to bad weather, but Torres says the team is currently third on the league table. The reference is to the system leagues use to rank teams. It is based on points racked up from all the games played, for instance, three points for a win, one point for a draw, and zero points for losing. 

Come and join us for a game, Torres invites South London Lines, the team is very welcoming. It is an open invitation that clearly is being heard, as more and more join – to play and to cheer.